A Cascade Dehydrogenative Cross-Coupling/Annulation Reaction of Benzamides with β-Keto Esters for the Synthesis of Isoquinolinone Derivatives.

A novel cascade DCC/annulation reaction of N-alkoxybenzamides with β-keto esters has been developed for the synthesis of isoquinolinone derivatives under palladium catalysis. A plausible mechanism involving α-C(sp2)-H activation and a Pd(II)/Pd(IV) catalytic cycle is also proposed.